particracyfandomcom-20200215-history
4358 Valruzian Constitutional Referendum on Abolishment of the Senate
The Valruzian Constitutional Referendum on Abolishment of the Senate of the Republic of Valruzia was a nationwide referendum held on September 5th 4358 simultaneously with the parliamentary elections to the Parliament of Valruzia (elections to the Sejm were held normally, with the elections to the Senate postponed until after the referendum results). Voters were asked whether they agree to the abolishment of the upper chamber of the bicameral Valruzian Parliament and transforming the Sejm into the unicameral parliament. This was a binding referendum and the results triggered the parliamentary process of altering the Valruzian constitution. Background and Proposed Changes The referendum was called in order to change the current constitution and transform the Valruzian Parliament into a unicameral parliament with the chamber of the Sejm of the Republic of Valruzia as the single chamber. For almost 20 years political analytics and commentators heavily criticized the Senate and put in question the need for this chamber to exist. The Liberal Party and its predecessor, the Party of National Coalition, made efforts to reform the Senate by altering the method the 100 Senators from the upper chamber were elected to make it more representative. Despite the reforms, Senate remained under the heavy criticism of the analytics, commentators, politicians and most importantly the public. In opinion polls prior to the referendum, citizens of Valruzia heavily supported the idea of the abolishment of the Senate, with the support for the idea highest in cities like Nowogard, Brzansk, and Gryfitow where almost 80% of the questioned individuals supported the idea. In November 4356, the Liberal Party filed a motion in the Sejm with a proposal for calling a nationwide referendum to be held simultaneously with the next parliamentary elections in order to save crucial public funds. The Sejm almost unilaterally supported the idea. Opinion Polls The table below presents the results of monthly results of opinion polls conducted by the National Office for Statistical Research which is an independent agency of the Valruzian government. Throughout the 36 months of opinion polling, the overall response of the questioned statistical groups was favorable toward the option of Senate abolishment. The first opinion poll was conducted in September 4355 after the then Liberal Party leader Hanna Lisowska in a press interview proposed the idea of such referendum. The National Office for Statistical Research has decided to conduct monthly polls which were published at the last day of each month in order to monitor the support and opposition of the society towards the functioning of the Senate. The results clearly indicated society's opposition for the Senate with the support for the abolishment being the strongest in urban areas and big metropolitan areas such as Nowogard, Brzansk, and Gryfitow, and the strongest support for the Senate in rural, conservative areas in Chynberg and Ruzian Voivodeship being the stronghold of the Senate supporters. Results Results by Region Valusian Voivodeship Ruzian Voivodeship Chynberg Voivodeship Kampania Voivodeship Gryfit Voivodeship Category:Valruzia Category:Valruzian Politics Category:Referendums in Valruzia Category:Valruzian Parliament Category:Government and politics of Valruzia Category:Politics of Valruzia Category:Referendums